South Africa Elegant Adventure--July 18, 2014
This will be our first trip to South Africa, our first Tauck Tour and our first safari.We are complete newbies! We are New Yorkers and will be flying from Kennedy to Capetown with an hour layover at Heathrow. Return from Johannesburg to Kennedy also has a short layover at Heathrow. We plan to arrive a day early, June 17, and spend an extra day at that spectacularly beautiful Cape Grace Hotel. We're a mom and her 16 year old son who will be on this trip.
I'm hoping to meet fellow travelers from our tour on this site and, perhaps share ideas and questions.
I'm hoping to meet fellow travelers from our tour on this site and, perhaps share ideas and questions.
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Having said all this, it is a wonderful tour, half culture, half safari. For us, we particularly liked the cultural aspects like Robben Island and the Hector Pieterson museum. We went to the hospital museum where Christian Barnard did the first heart transplant from the Cape Grace hotel,the museum sends a car to collect you, there are brochures in the hotel or ask the concierge. Also Kirstenbosch Gardens is beautiful, but mindful of you having a sixteen year old with you, I am not sure about there, but the free hotel limo will take and collect you to it. We did these when we arrived two days before the tour began.
Great hotel, had the best ever tasting menu meal there, I chose the vegan one with wine pairings. And it was fantastic, no I am not even a vegetarian!
Morning safaris can start very cold that time of year, take coat hat and gloves then strip off as it gets warmer, the vehicles do provide poncho type blankets and we needed them and we do not usually feel cold compared to some people.
I too am concerned with only one hour at Heathrow - we have found traveling though Munich for example, that that is not enough time often to transfer due to size of airport, late flight arrival, etc. Even though the airlines state 45 minutes, it is really not enough.
We've traveled on six Tauck trips - all wonderful - you will love their style!
I looked at my e-tickets and realize it's a 1:15 minute layover at Heathrow both with British Airways. I was hoping to shorten the trip, but now I'm a tad panicked...
Any further info regarding winter attire, clothing for dinners, camera (neither of us is much of a photographer, but I'm assuming we'll need a good point and shoot with a zoom). If you had any "aha" moments on the trip like "I should have brought___" please let me know.
As far as currency goes, did you convert money to ZAR before you left? Are USD accepted anywhere or are you best off using a credit card? I just found out today that my card charges 3% foreign transactions.
Clothing, some nice things for Capetown and Jo'berg, but do not go crazy, pants and nice top sufficient.
Clothing on safaris, often don't change for dinner
We did not take any South African money with us.
Credit card fee, get a new credit card, especially if you will be doing more foreign travel
Small pair of binoculars always handy for safaris
That doesn't mean we won't be getting our injections, vaccinations and pills.
To be safe, this physician recommended I get titers done for MMR, DPT and polio. Already had a flu shot in the fall. The titers are not necessary for my son since his are recent and mine are not. In addition we will each get injections to prevent Hep.A,Typhoid and anti-malaria pills. If we weren't going to Kruger, the anti-malarials would not be as necessary.
I want us to be safe.
There are 3 different antimalarials-Mefloquin, Malarone and Doxycycline. I know one makes you kind of spacey and that the doxy makes you very sun sensitive.
That's all I know about the meds.
Have typhoid vaccination. The IM last 2 years and costs more than oral that last 5 years.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B a series of 3 shots
Yellow fever vaccination not required for this itinerary..If you have travelled to an area that has yellow fever in previous 12 months and over age 60 get your physician to give you an international immunization card listing contraindication and also provide a letter.If travelling from area with yellow fever than vaccination within 10 years is necessary if less than 60
Have your physician provide you with a prescription for Cipro 500mg twice a day for 7 days.
Influenza is transmitted April to September and if available influenza vaccine recommend if no contraindication
Tetanus Diptheria Pertussis (Tdap) if not boostered in last 10 years.
Pnumococcal vaccine if over 65.One time vaccination
Unless a aid worker or traveling off beaten track rabies polio cholera ( not available in US) is not necessary.
Talk to you regular physician.Be seen by travel clinic and read CDC site
Prevention of mosquito and tick exposure is important.Keep as much of skin covered.Use permethrin on clothes and apply DEET 30% to exposed skin.
Hope this helps.have a great trip.
Camera: go to either Nikon or Canon's website and look at their point and shoots. You can't go wrong with either one. Since you are not a photographer one of these will work just fine to give you some memories.
Credit card: your bank probably has a credit card that does not have a surcharge on it. There will be an annual fee, but you'll have to look at it and see if it is cost effective. It all depends on whether you will be buying a lot, or something expensive, or if you are planning on future trips out of the country.
Have a save trip!!!
Happy Trails.
Excellent advice! I'd also stress not forgetting the U in humour.
I have a question, British, that you might be able to answer. I want to know how infected mosquitos know you are over 60 and therefore shouldn't be bitten? I just can't get my head around what I've seen written here many times. I'd really like to know why people would be given the advice not to have Yellow Fever shots if they are over 60?
Without a Yellow Fever shot and the appropriate WHO documentation, I would not be allowed back into Australia. Which is reason enough for me to get the shots!
I'm not stirring the pot …. I would really like to know the basis for the 60+ advice. Is it perhaps because US authorities don't want their citizens travelling to certain parts of Africa? Is is just an historical anomaly, perhaps?
Cheers,
Jan
As to how a mosquito knows to avoid someone over 60 and an American, I just don't know. It certainly did not work for me yesterday when I was doing a little weeding in the garden, I got bitten in the small area of exposure between my old capris and my socks and on my eyebrow under my hat. Perhaps it 's because I was not born an American and it noticed I had a bit of British blood that it found more tasty. As my husband passed me on the way out to work, while I shamefully am still in bed when I would normally have been about to end my five mile walk by now, but I just had to answer you, I mentioned your question and he says as long as you are warm and emitting carbon dioxide you may get bitten.
And the final answer about the US gov not wanting Americans to travel to certain countries, well truly, most Americans I speak to are in horror of even leaving their own state never mind the country, and please people reading this, you are the traveling Americans, many more are not like you.
Jan, I really think I am getting better at responding to your wonderful humor I mean humour
The CDC website does recommend that those over 60 not take yellow fever shots, at least before first talking with a doctor. They don't go into a lot of detail but the website states:
"People aged >60 years may be at increased risk for serious adverse events (serious disease or, very rarely, death) following vaccination, compared with younger persons. This is particularly true if they are receiving their first yellow fever vaccination."
To me, that says there is a certain group of people who may experience severe side effects from the serum that may be especially severe as you get older, with 60 being an arbitrary, general determination age. Other than those who may react to eggs, chicken proteins, or gelatin, and those having HIV/AIDS or other disease that affects the immune system, weakened immune system as a result of cancer or other medical conditions, transplant, or drug treatment (such as steroids, chemotherapy, or others that affect immune function, Thymus disorder,) Pregnant women, and nursing mothers,
it is not clear to me whether doctors know for sure who else might be in danger.
Everyone reacts to Yellow Fever differently, but, according to the CDC, "Roughly 20-50% of people who develop severe illness may die." Since mosquitoes really, really love me in a bad way, and I had no reaction to previous Yellow Fever shots, I plan to use DEET/Permithrin and get a Yellow Fever shot (a booster?) before we go to Tanzania/Kenya next year, even though I am over 60.
Cheers,
Jan
I thought Lion Sands resort was out of this world!! Could have stayed there for another night. Sabi Sabi Resort is larger and the rooms (actually your own house) not as charming. Lion Sand's houses all face a river, so terrific views with the occasional animal wandering by. Going on Safari is an unforgettable experience. The Victoria Falls hotel is an old colonial --- truly charming and so historic feeling. Large veranda where you can have afternoon tea, with the sounds of the Falls ahead of you. Several of us took the optional helicopter ride and thought it was worth the USD 150, as you see the pre Falls views. As always with Tauck you are totally taken care of with no reason to stress about anything. As they say --"the Tauck bubble"
Oh yes, and in the literature they send to you it states "no wheeled carry ons" the majority ignored this and they were a real pain getting on and off the buses, wheeled down the aisles as there is no room for them at your seats and then wheeled back down again. And on and off the planes that have the steep steps (remember those?) up and down. And when we moved from Lion Sands to Sabi Sabi they took up space in the Land Rovers. And it was a a nuisance for the staff to deal with them. If you can stick with a tote bag or backpack type carry on.
I have read the CDC stuff, but I understand that July is dry season, and therefore, low risk. So malaria pills might not be necessary. I really don't want an upset stomach from antibiotics. Seems dreadful. See the travel doc Tuesday, so I'll report back.
Carole
cpinstein@gmail.com
I think another aspect of the 60+ issue is that the yellow fever vaccine has some possible side effects and the risk for having these side effects rises significantly if you are 60+ and rises even more if you are 65+. So the issue, as in many medical issues, is risk/benefit ratio. Since we are 65+, we wanted an itinerary that would not require a yellow fever vaccine and would still allow us to get to Victoria Falls. By going through Zimbabwe, the vaccine is not required to return to South Africa. If you go through Zambia, then it is required.
Hope this sheds some light.
My husband and I own 1 binocular. Should we buy a second one so we will both have one?
Debbie
Please reply to: supersecdd@aol.com
I think British would have left for her African trip by now, so if you will allow me, I'll have a go answering your question.
I think 1 pair of binoculars will be enough … provided the other person is using a camera with some level of telephoto lens. My experience is that you will be so engrossed in watching, focusing, oohing and aahing that you won't notice the lack of another pair.
Have a wonderful trip!
Cheers,
Jan